Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-30-2012

Abstract

Northern Thailand has 16 hot spring systems with surface temperatures near or greater than 80°C with potential for binary plant power generation. Presently only Fang system generates power from wells flowing a total of 8.3 1/s of 116°C water to a 300 kW single module Ormat binary plant. Current production is 150-250 KW, which potentially can be increased by constructing new wells and increasing flow by pumping. Of the other 15 systems, 4 are in national parks and not considered for development. Several of the hot springs systems have silica geothermometry >130°C suggesting significant undeveloped resources exist in northern Thailand. Certainly the San Kamphaeng hot springs have the greatest known potential (estimated ~5MW) but like most of the systems it is associated with high-angle faulting and drilling has yet to find permeable zones yielding high flows (>11 l/s). The current project of the Thailand Department of Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) will survey these prospects with the intention of installing a small plant of 2-10 MW.

Comments

This is an author-produced version of this article. The final, definitive version of this document can be found online at the Geothermal Resources Council Transactions, published by the Geothermal Resources Council. Copyright restrictions may apply.